


Anything Could Happen

by dinahlace



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-01
Updated: 2016-10-01
Packaged: 2018-08-18 19:21:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8173001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dinahlace/pseuds/dinahlace
Summary: Chris has been saving up his own money and requesting money as presents for quite a while, in order to finally afford a weekend at Coachella. He couldn’t convince anyone to come with him, so he’s going alone- something he realizes about halfway there that he may or may not end up regretting. But when he meets a cute boy, splattered in paint and donning sparkly nail polish (and not much else, honestly), he realizes that maybe it won’t be such a lonely weekend afterall.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is a fic written for the CCBB 2016!
> 
> I used the lineup for 2016 but did not take into account when their songs were published. The songs I chose are based on songs I know and/or songs I researched and liked. Can you list all the artists I featured? Enjoy!

Thursday

Ever since he had heard about Coachella, Chris had been busy saving. Putting away money from work, asking for money for Christmas and birthdays, and keeping all the random coins he found in pockets while doing laundry and from under the floormats in his car. Through all the saving, scrounging, and (practically) begging...Chris had managed to gather up enough money to afford the tickets, parking, and camping for the weekend, as well as gas to and from his house, and spending money for food and drinks at the event. He had bills to pay, books to buy, and everyday life to manage...but he finally had the money.

His mom continuously reminded him to drink enough water, wear cooling clothes, and stay safe- as if he were still a kid. He was 22- plenty old enough to take care of himself. He had to admit though (only to himself) that yeah, he was a little nervous to journey to this huge music and arts festival, alone. What if he met some creep that wouldn’t leave him alone? How would he feel alone in a crowd of concert junkies when he had never experienced anything like this?

Either way- here he was, making sure he had his water bottle, sunscreen, tent, and clothes packed, as well as plenty of money to get him through the hot, April weekend.

“You have your sunscreen, right? You know how easily you can burn to a crisp,” his mother reminded him from where she sat in the living room, next to Chris’ packed luggage.

“Just put it in my backpack, mom. I’ve got it, don’t worry,” he said with a soft chuckle.

“What about shampoo and such? Surely they’ll have showers somewhere there,” she pointed out.

He shook his head with a fond smile. Maybe his mom was more worried than he was, at least. He lived out of the house, but he didn’t live too far away, and he was always over visiting. Chris could easily say his mom tended to be just a bit overprotective. So he knew she was worried that he was going on his own to this big outdoor concert with who knew how many people there besides him. But she also knew this was something he had been looking forward to for a long time, so she was trying not to say anything too negative.

“I think I’m all ready to go,” Chris said, setting down his backpack next to the small suitcase full of clothes and the blow-up mattress he was taking and his tent. His backpack had all his other essentials- sunscreen, sunglasses, water bottle, mister, money, cell phone and charger.

“And you’re going to be careful? It’s a five hour drive, if you’re lucky with traffic. And you’ll be gone all weekend, with all these strange people you’ve never met, sleeping in a tent...anyone could just bust in and take your things…”

“Mom…”he started with a laugh. “I’ll be fine. I’ll call when I get there, I’ll let you know I’m okay each morning and evening. I’ll be fine,” he stressed, hugging her.

“You know I can’t help but worry,” she said as she hugged him back before looking up at him with a smile. “You may be 22, but you’re still just a little boy to me.”

He sighed softly. “I know, I know. And I’ll always be, which will just make you worry no matter how old I am...right?”

“Right,” she said with a nod, grabbing his tent as he got his suitcase and backpack to carry out to the car.

He locked up behind them and put his things in the car, reaching in to start the engine.

“If anything happens, I’ll let you know. I’m only going to be a few hours away, not halfway across the country,” he said as he slid into the car.

“Have fun. I know you’ve been looking forward to this,” she said, giving him a small wave. “I love you.”

“Love you too, Mom,” he said, shutting the door and pulling away from the curb and driving towards the interstate. One mile down, 353 more to go.

\----

Chris blasted songs from the bands and artists he planned to see that weekend, singing along with the ones he knew and trying to learn the ones he didn’t. He’d been to a few concerts in his life. He had loved the atmosphere- the dancing, the singing, the pulse that seemed to move through the crowd as their bodies and voices seemed to sync up with the music. Chris couldn’t even begin to imagine how this new atmosphere would feel, with dozens of bands playing over the course of a weekend.

It took a while- more than five hours to make it there. Damn the traffic. But Chris finally made it, just an hour or so behind his intended schedule. It was Thursday, so the festivities wouldn’t be starting until the next day. Tonight was to be spent with putting up the tent and resting for the following day.

Chris was directed to the camping area and to his parking spot, a small lot that would accommodate his car and tent. He parked and sighed, resting back against his car’s seat. He needed a moment to rest, to not worry about looking at the cars around him or pay attention to his fuel level. He didn’t want to waste his gas though, so he eventually shut off his car and got out into the warm, evening air. Dozens upon dozens of people were already there, setting up tents or chatting as they mingled around other people’s campsites. Chris worked on setting up his own tent and getting his air mattress blown up. He hung up a few battery-powered fans inside his tent, wanting to try and keep the inside cool. The air mattress was set up inside, along with his sheets and quilt. Although it was pretty right now, he knew the temperature would dip down during the night.

Chris laid back on the mattress, munching on some chips that he brought with him as the sun started to sink down behind the California mountains. Everything had seemed to be set up and ready for the festivities tomorrow. He had his wristband on and ready to go, had his cooler full of ice and bottles of water. Tomorrow would be here before he knew it.  
\----  
Friday 

He was glad he had brought earplugs as his dad suggested, because it was a noisy place. It was hard to go to sleep, but eventually he drifted off, waking up to the loud noises outside of his tent. People were dancing, yelling, already singing as they ran to the festivities. Chris woke and stretched, changing quickly into a tank top and loose shorts. He covered himself in sunscreen and filled his refillable water bottle with cold water from his cooler. After putting on his sunglasses, Chris slipped out of his tent. He set up the large umbrella over his tent (another suggestion from his dad) to try and keep it as cool as possible for when he returned.

Chris filed in with the other concert goers, flashing his wristband before he was ushered inside of the gates. On the inside, it looked just like what Chris thought it would- people everywhere, dressed in crop tops, bikinis, tank tops, short shorts. Some boys wore only swimming trunks and that was it. Sandals, sneakers, or no shoes seemed to be the norm. The people milled around, filling up water bottles, adding to the already long food lines, or searched maps for the right place to go for the artist or band they wanted to see.

Chris honestly didn’t have any one person he really wanted to see. He enjoyed plenty of the people on the setlist, and he was looking forward to listening to those people he didn’t know. So, for now, he chose to forget about the map and just...wander.

He let himself stop at one of the kiosks, set up with breakfast sandwiches and burritos. He bought a breakfast burrito and continued on his walk around the venue, scouting out the different stages where various, lesser known artists were already playing. It was only around 11am, and already, it was hot. Chris was glad he was wearing something loose and breathable. Of course, there were others who were wearing less...boys running around in only their shorts, or girls wearing bikinis. Chris considered slipping off his own tank top...but no. He usually didn’t really feel very secure about his body, at least, not enough to show it off to strangers. He was pale, not as muscular as he wanted to be (though he had been running and lifting weights, so his calves and biceps were thanking him), and overall just...a little shy about his body. But he was coming to terms with it, as far as people seeing his body. So maybe at some point he’d lose the shirt? But right now wasn’t the time for all these...extremely attractive boys...to be seeing him shirtless.

When it came to boys, Chris wasn’t too experienced. Sure, he’d kissed them. He’d even fooled around a bit but..It was hard to be in a committed relationship in a place like Clovis. So, after he graduated, he high-tailed it to a more gay-friendly place for college- San Francisco. Now he was farther away from home, farther away from the bigots he had grown up around. And it was a blessing. But luckily, spring break coincided with Coachella, so he was able to visit his family before taking off for the music and arts festival.

Back to putting his thoughts on what he was here for- seeing the artists. Not boys. Okay, maybe he was here to look at the boys too….

Chris moved throughout the throngs of people, stopping at the different stages to listen to the lesser known artists, some of whom he thought were really good. He let his body sway along with the music, fingers tapping a pattern out against his arm to the unknown, slower song.

“I'm pulling my weight in gold  
Call me anxious, call me broke  
But I can't lift this on my own  
Pulling my weight in gold  
Call me anxious, call me broke  
But I can't lift this on my own…”

He wished he knew the words of the song, but hell, he didn’t even know who was singing until they called it out before starting another song. 

Chris loved to sing, always had. He also knew his voice was….very unique. Something that people sometimes chose to look down upon, because it wasn’t “manly” enough for them. But honestly, not many guys could hit both the low and high notes like he could.

Things had gotten better when he went off to college. More people there appreciated his difference, because they had been told all their lives they were different too. Chris briefly wondered when people would begin to think of him as unique, rather than different.

The next band that was up, very pop and easy to move to, drew a larger crowd of people, pushing Chris farther up towards the stage. He was now surrounded by people, rather than part of the dispersed festival-goers. The old Chris probably would have been anxious in this crowd, knowing he was surrounded by strangers. But college had helped him with that too so, while he felt a little uncomfortable around all these people, he let himself think- Who else is here alone? There’s more than just me. And we all came for the same reason...to enjoy ourselves.

 

The people around him jostled and twisted, bumping against him as they moved with the music. Chris had always enjoyed singing along with music more than dancing, but sometimes it seemed like there was nothing you could do but dance. Those times when the music seemed to move from the people, through the instruments, across the air, through the ground, and straight into the audience’s bodies. So Chris let his body move with the music and with those around him as the song faded out and another began.

“Wanna be here tonight  
Wanna hide in your light  
Wanna cover my eyes, I feel you reflect in me  
I worship all that you see

Can I still make it right?  
Can I be what you like?  
Can I keep up this fight?  
I hope that you'll never know  
Why I need your control…”

 

As that band exited the stage, the crowd began to disperse, going in search of another stage. Chris stood still, unsure where to go next.

“Come on!” One of the girls he had been dancing near called, looking in his direction as their group moved away. He raised his eyebrows and grinned, following after.

“You here alone?” she asked, looking up at him. She was so tiny, he wondered how she was able to see through the throngs of people- and how she avoided being crushed between other people’s bodies.

Chris nodded in response as the girl fell in next to him, smiling up at him, looking like the perfect representation (or at least, what everyone thought) of Coachella- flower crown, flowy top, paint on her cheeks, braids in her hair. She was cute- not Chris’s type, but cute. And friendly, which he appreciated.

“I’m Rebecca.”

“Chris,” he introduced with a smile. “Thanks for inviting me to join you guys.”

“Oh, it’s no problem. I thought I’d pay back the favor. I’m actually here by myself too,” She said with a laugh, gesturing to the people walking in front of them. “One of them invited me to join them while dancing, when they saw that I was alone. And you seemed to be alone, so I thought I should pay it forward.”

Chris was happy that her kindness had come to him. He had been enjoying himself while being alone, but festivals and events like this were really great when you could enjoy them with other people. It was a bonding experience, a chance to share in similar interests and let the music bring everyone together. And perhaps, help you find a new friend.

A band was just starting up on the stage that they came to, with people dispersed throughout the grass starting to move along with the music. A few were closer to the stage, bouncing around in front of the lead singer that was leaning down to sing right in front of them.

“Bad habits  
Sick puppy  
Thigh high  
Knee deep

Do you wanna hold hands?  
Should we go back down?  
She wanna slow dance?

Should've known, little girl that you'd do me wrong  
Should've known by the way you were showing off

Bad habits  
Bad habits….”

He could hear their screams echoing back to him, even over the loud music and the chatter around him. They obviously knew about this band, even if Chris didn’t (Or they were just extremely into meeting all the “famous” people they could). Chris thought about how cool it would be to meet someone famous, to meet one of his favorite musical artists. Or if not meet, at least be up close and personal with them like those girls.

Then, he thought how much more amazing it would be to be one of those famous people instead. Chris had considered going into music, maybe theater, which could lead to Broadway. But his creativity through writing was calling him. It was another way he could become famous and, he thought, make an even longer lasting impact in other’s lives.

Chris’s new little group stayed a bit back, dancing together. Chris learned their names- besides Rebecca, there was Antonio, Steven, Laura, Elle, and Beth. Like Chris, Rebecca and Steven had come on their own, while Antonio and Laura came together, as did Elle and Beth. Elle and Beth were actually together, as Chris soon learned. They danced close, laughing and sharing kisses. Rebecca leaned up to make a comment about them being a cute couple and Chris nodded.

He had to admit- he could be one of those stingy single people sometimes, one of those singles who thought that if they weren’t with someone that all couples were disgusting and too much. And right now, yeah, Chris was feeling a little jealous as he watched the two girls lean their foreheads together, giggling and moving together with the music. If only he had his own guy to be that way with.

Speaking of guys...this festival was looking to be stocked full of cute guys. Chris let his eyes wander as he danced, scanning the crowd. There were all sorts of guys- tall or short, dark or light hair....some wore loose tank tops while others were shirtless. Some danced in their chacos, while others’ feet stamped over the ground to the beat of the music.

There were plenty of attractive guys here, that was for sure. He wondered how many of them were actually interested in guys...not that it mattered. It wasn’t like someone was just going to waltz up and ask him out.

But he knew who he’d want to.

His eyes had landed on a guy that was dancing in his own circle of people. His dark curls bounced as he danced, his eyes hidden behind hot pink sunglasses. His torso was bare, other than the streaks of bright paint that ran down his chest. His cheeks had stripes of the same paint, as did his arms. This boy definitely looked like he belonged at Coachella. He even had a colorful flower crown on top of his head.

“Well he’s festive, isn’t he?” He heard Elle say, who looked over Beth’s shoulder to where Chris’s eyes had landed.

He turned his head towards Elle, meeting her eyes before she nodded towards the decorated boy again.

“Definitely,” Antonio chimed in with a grin, earning a light smack to his arm from Laura.

“Hey! I’m just looking,” he said with a laugh.

Laura laughed as well, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek, humming softly. “He is cute, isn’t he?”

“I think someone else thinks so, too,” Rebecca said, looking up at Chris with a smirk.

Chris felt his cheeks redden as the group turned to look at him, just after his eyes had turned from the boy with the bright, catching smile.

“Don’t worry, you don’t even have to say anything. He’s definitely hot. Look at those arm muscles!” Rebecca stated, earning nods from their group and appreciative murmurs. “Why don’t you go talk to him?”

Chris’s eyebrows shot up. “Go talk to him?” Chris scoffed and shook his head. “No...you’re talking crazy,” he said with a nervous laugh, watching Rebecca raise her eyebrows at him before she smirked.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it,” she said, moving away from their little circle, practically bouncing over to the other boy’s circle.

Chris couldn’t believe what (he thought) was happening. Rebecca had joined the other boy’s circle and was now chatting him up, grinning and dancing with the boy. She threw a glance back towards Chris, and he saw the guy’s head turn towards him. His face heated up quickly and he looked away. He wasn’t exactly sure where this was going. He wasn’t even sure where he wanted it to go.

Soon, Rebecca was on her way back over, a wide grin stretching across her lips.

“Someone looks like the cat who ate the canary,” Steven said with a laugh, quirking an eyebrow at her. “What happened?”

“Well, let’s put it this way. If anyone is going to be the cat who eats the canary, it won’t be me,” she said, winking at Chris. This just made Chris even more confused.

“So...what happened?” Chris echoed Steven.

“I told him I had a friend who might be interested in him...and he said he was definitely interested. Then I said I’d have a little talk with my friend and we’ll see what happens from there,” Rebecca explained.

“I can’t believe you,” Chris said with a laugh, shaking his head, unable to help smiling at her. Here was his new friend, whom he hadn’t known very long at all, and she was already trying to hook him up with a guy he was too shy to go and ask out himself. But, what surprised him the most...the guy had been interested?

“Well, go talk to him!” Rebecca said, pushing Chris in the guy’s direction.

Chris tried to dig his heels into the ground beneath his feet, but it was hard to stay balanced and try to keep himself from going forward when someone was insistently pushing against his back.

Finally, Chris gave up, nearly falling forward when he gave up trying to hold himself back. He sighed, turning back to look at Rebecca.

“Okay okay,” Chris said, shaking his head. “You sure are persistent for someone who...doesn’t even really know me.” AKA, why should she even care about his love life?

“And?” She said, raising an eyebrow at him. “I’ve known you long enough to know that, if you’re being genuine, you’re a nice guy who deserves a shot with a guy whom he finds attractive and would like to have a shot at. And I’d be lying if I said you weren’t a looker yourself,” she finished off with a smirk.

Chris laughed and rolled his eyes. “Come on, you’re not serious. You can’t put me in a category anywhere near that other guy.”

“I can, and I am,” she stated. “Come on, Chris! You’re tall, slender, have beautiful eyes…” She looked him up and down a moment before continuing, “And I bet whatever you’re hiding under those clothes is impressive.”

Chris felt his cheeks heat up. “Okay, I’m going to talk to him now,” He said with a small, nervous laugh, shaking his head as he turned away.

As he did, his eyes immediately landed on the guy, his bright pink sunglasses off his face, tucked away in his pocket. He found that the guy’s eyes were staring right back at him, a wide grin on his face as their eyes met.

Well...here goes nothing… Chris thought, attempting to swallow his nervousness as he walked towards the painted man, music blaring loud from the speakers on stage.

“I'm looking at you from across the room  
You with your shades on  
This southern moon

You hold a secret in your hand  
Your eyes are burning  
Can't understand

But now I feel us start to  
Lose control  
A spiral motion  
Don't let me go

So make your mind up baby  
You're blinded by the sights  
Those flashing lights have got you caught up tonight  
So make your mind up baby  
It's painted black and white  
Lets keep it moving or lets turn out the lights  
So make your mind up….”

 

“Chris, right?” Mr. Flower Crown asked as Chris stepped within hearing range (well, within range enough for the guy to raise his voice above the music and chatter of nearby people).

He nodded in response, giving him a tentative smile as he reached him. “Yeah, Chris. And you are…?” Damn, Rebecca hadn’t given him a name.

“Darren,” he responded with a bright smile, reaching a hand out towards him.

Chris thought that this was a sign that the guy (Darren, he now knew) wanted to shake hands. But he quickly found out that wasn’t Darren’s intention because, as soon as Chris took his hand, he was being pulled in close to Darren.

Chris’s eyes widened at suddenly being up close and personal with Darren, a guy he barely knew...an extremely attractive guy he barely knew, at that.

He could feel the fact that he was blushing (yet again) at having been pulled right into the shorter man’s body. Up close, he was more beautiful than Chris had thought from afar. His skin was tanned, making the bright paint across his body stand out beautifully. His eyes, a deep honey color, shone in the bright sunlight. The flower crown sat atop dark curls that were turning wild from his movement and from the collecting sweat that started at his roots and trailed down the sides of his face. His eyes trailed down and his eyebrows rose when his gaze landed on his hands…was that nail polish? Sure enough, dark, sparkly nail polish was coated across his nails.

From his hands his eyes moved along the rest of his body. And the rest of his body, well...let’s just say that Chris imagined what it would be like with less clothes covering it.

“My eyes are up here, sweetheart,” Darren practically purred, smirking at Chris as his head snapped up. God, if his face hadn’t been red before, it sure as hell was now.

Chris laughed, biting at his lip. “Sorry I’m....honestly, I don’t normally do this kind of thing…”

“What kind of thing?” Darren questioned, arching an eyebrow. Chris briefly wondered how an eyebrow that so closely resembled a triangle could still make someone look so damn cute. While Chris was lost in thought a moment, Darren continued. “The kind of thing where you check out a guy, or…?” He trailed off, waiting for a response from Chris, who was briefly at a loss for words. That didn’t happen often.

“I don’t normally...go up and talk to guys like this,” he clarified.

“Well, here you are. Talking,” Darren stated with a laugh- something else attractive about him, an infectious sound that made Chris laugh too. “And now, dancing I hope?” Darren added, a new song started up that he started moving to.

Chris had already started talking to him, and surely he had seen him dancing before so...what the hell? He may as well dance with him while they had the chance.

“Well I know when you're around cause I know the sound  
I know the sound, of your heart  
Well I know when you're around cause I know the sound  
I know the sound, of your heart…”

The song that was playing now was a song that Chris actually knew. The two moved to the song, sharing about themselves breathlessly as they danced. Chris learned that Darren was from San Francisco, this was his third year at Coachella, and that he had always loved singing and dancing, which was why he was pursuing theatre.

On the flipside, Darren learned that Chris was from a little town that he obviously didn’t like called Clovis, that this was his first year at Coachella, and that he had always loved writing and was pursuing a career in that field, currently trying to stay away from Clovis to get the ball rolling.

Soon, the song changed to something a little more...dirty.

The look in Darren’s eyes suddenly changed from playful to suggestive as he moved closer to Chris, bodies against one another as they moved with the music that had turned from indie and pop to a slow, raunchy, rap song. And, although the protagonist of the song was a girl, Darren was sure moving like it was all about him.

“Somebody come get her, she's dancin' like a stripper  
Somebody come get her, she's dancin' like a stripper  
Somebody come tip her, she's dancin' like a stripper  
Somebody come get her, she's feelin' all the liquor…”

 

Chris definitely hadn’t expected to end pressed up close to a guy he didn’t really know, dancing to music that did nothing to hide its sexual meaning. He felt Darren’s hands move to his hips, so he let his own arms move to rest over Darren’s shoulders, which surprisingly felt pretty natural.

“So, you don’t go up and talk to guys often but…you must be used to dancing with them, hm?” Darren murmured with a faint smirk, raising those strangely-adorable triangle eyebrows as he looked up at Chris. (And yeah, Chris took notice of their few inches of height difference. He thought it was actually damn hot.)

Chris laughed and shook his head. “Absolutely not. I definitely dance with guys less than I talk to them.”

“Come on…I’m sure you’re not giving yourself enough credit. I bet you have guys and girls just falling at your feet,” Darren insisted.

“Too bad I’m not interested in the girls,” Chris said with a quiet laugh, shaking his head slightly.

“Well, I can’t say the same…” Darren started with a chuckle, his lips turning up in a smirk as his hips moved against Chris’. “Although, I do have to say that I have a particular…appreciation…for the male body,” he murmured lowly, hips rotating again in time with the song’s beat.

“Oh…” Chris breathed, a small shudder running up his spine as he felt Darren’s half-hard cock pressed against his own. He could feel his breath on his face, their closeness making Chris’ heart suddenly start to pound.

“And I know that you must have the same appreciation,” Darren purred, lips caressing over his ear, teeth barely dragging over an earlobe. He pulled away with a grin before he turned, ass now against Chris’ own obviously hard cock as his hips rotated and swayed.

Chris didn’t have time to feel embarrassed that this was happening in a very public place, considering he was completely focused on Darren. And, if he had taken notice of other people, he would have seen similar dancing.

As the song was coming to an end, the two broke away from each other for a brief moment before Chris felt Darren’s hand in his own, tugging him through the dispersing crowd.

Chris wondered whether to even ask where they were going. He decided to remain quiet, letting himself be pulled along.

When they finally stopped, Chris and Darren were next to the large building that housed the bathrooms. Chris was just about to ask what they were doing there when he was being pushed against the wall, a hand behind his head to keep it from hitting the wall as Darren’s body pressed against his own. Suddenly, Chris’ whirring thoughts stopped when he felt Darren’s lips against his own.

“Cause you are, the piece of me,  
I wish, I didn't need  
Chasing, relentlessly,  
Still fight and I don't know why

If our love, is tragedy,  
Why are you my remedy?  
If our love's, insanity,  
Why are you my clarity?”

 

Darren’s hands moved down Chris’ bare arms, making his skin tingle as he felt his strong hands grip at his biceps.

His own hands made their way down Darren’s warm sides, holding to the top of his shorts to tug him closer, earning a pleased noise from Darren that vibrated against his mouth.

The kiss quickly turned from lips molding together to tongues exploring each other’s mouths, pulling moans and whimpers from both of them.

As Darren nipped and sucked at Chris’ lower lip, Chris returned the gesture, running his tongue over the tender skin of the lip that he had just bitten.

Chris’s fingers stayed at the top of Darren’s shorts, fingers holding him to his body by his belt loops. He could feel his own heart thumping hard in his chest, body hot from more than just the sun, making him have to pull away, panting.

“You taste like bubblegum…” Darren mumbled, the breath from his lips brushing over Chris’s own lips, making a tingling feeling run down his spine.

“You taste like heaven,” Chris murmured, one hand coming up to cup the back of his neck, pulling him towards him so they could kiss again, earning a moan from Darren.

It also earned him the feeling of Darren’s very-present hard-on being pressed against him, making his mind race with the knowledge that he was the cause of that.

“Anyone could see us,” Chris mumbled against his lips, though he never stopped kissing the shorter boy.

“Yeah…anyone could…” Darren replied with a soft chuckle, his hips rolling against Chris’. “Is that a hint?”

Chris’s eyebrows rose for a moment before he smirked faintly. It hadn’t been, but it could certainly be taken as such. “Why don’t we go find some place where that’s less likely then?”

Chris didn’t have to say another word before Darren was pulling him again. They ended up back at the campground, surrounded by tents and cars. A quick beep sounded before Darren pulled open a car door and slid inside, starting it up and turning on the air, music blasting from the speakers.

“I know it breaks your heart  
Moved to the city in a broke down car  
And four years, no calls  
Now you're looking pretty in a hotel bar  
And I, I, I, I, I can't stop  
No, I, I, I, I, I can't stop”

Chris had followed behind, sliding into the backseat behind Darren, sighing quietly at being seated after being on his feet, and also at just the thought of having some cool air.

Once Darren had turned the air on and up he was back in the backseat next to Chris, already pulling him practically into his lap as his arm wrapped around his waist and his lips found Chris’s throat.

“So baby pull me closer in the back seat of your Rover  
That I know you can't afford  
Bite that tattoo on your shoulder  
Pull the sheets right off the corner  
Of the mattress that you stole  
From your roommate back in Boulder  
We ain't ever getting older…”

Chris sighed, head tilting back and eyes shutting as Darren’s warm lips roamed over his neck. He moaned as he felt Darren’s lips suck, what he was sure was a mark, into his pale skin. His hands were beginning to roam as well, skirting up under his tank top to move over his sides and slowly push up his shirt.

The two of them moved together so that Darren could pull off Chris’s shirt and so that Chris could move his own hands over Darren’s tan, toned chest. He could feel his muscles flex as he slowly brushed his hands along his abs, then up to his arms. God, his arms were one of the best things about him, Chris thought. He definitely didn’t look like a body builder; his arms had just the right amount of tone, had just the right amount of veins popping out of them that Chris could run his fingers over.

Soon, Darren’s lips were on his again, making him moan as his tongue probed into his mouth and his hands roamed over his body, stopping at the waist of his shorts to start unbuttoning and unzipping them.

Chris complied with Darren’s attempt at pulling down his shorts, shifting his body to help him in getting the article of clothing off. Chris was just left in his boxer-briefs now, feeling that their clothing situation was a little unfair before Darren started tugging off his own shorts. His eyebrows rose and his eyes widened when he noticed that Darren was now left with nothing on, having gone commando for the day apparently.

Darren grinned at the look in Chris’s eyes before he started maneuvering them so that Chris was laying down in the backseat, with Darren hovering over him.

He had been so stunned for a moment that he hadn’t even had a chance to fully appreciate the beautiful, tan, muscled body above him. Nor could he have appreciated the new parts of his body that were now exposed and definitely as impressive as the rest of him.

Chris’s eyes closed as Darren bent down to kiss over his chest, making him whimper when he felt his hot tongue lick over his nipple, swirling over the peaked flesh slowly before switching to the other.

His lips made their way down his body, wet tongue dipping into his belly button, making him writhe slightly at the tickling feeling.

Soon his hands were on Chris’s underwear, fingers tucking into the top of the fabric. Chris glanced down, met with warm honey eyes looking up at him through dark lashes, waiting. He gave him a small nod and raised his hips, letting Darren pull off his boxer-briefs, leaving them both naked in the small backseat.

Chris felt his skin warm as Darren’s eyes wandered over his body. He wondered if he was looking for any imperfections, and he wondered if he had found any that Chris knew he definitely had.

His own mind was wandering so much that he jolted a little when he felt Darren’s lips on his skin again, now trailing kisses and nips over his hipbones that jutted gently from his light skin.

He then let out a soft gasp as he felt the kisses begin to trail over his hardened cock, his warm tongue licking over the head, gathering the precum there.

Chris moaned lowly as Darren’s lips wrapped around his cock, tongue swirling slowly, traveling over thicker veins. 

Chris was beginning to think that Darren’s other best quality may be his mouth because damn. Maybe it was just because he hadn’t had a blowjob in a while, but his mouth was so hot and wet and God, he couldn’t help the way his hips suddenly jolted upwards to get more of his cock into Darren’s mouth.

He heard the small choking noise Darren made, but when he shifted to pull away, firm hands grabbed his hips to hold him in place. His deep blue eyes were met with dark gold for just a moment before Darren’s eyes closed again as his head bobbed slowly, making Chris’s own eyes roll back in pleasure, his head thumping back against the seat of the car.

His hands rubbed against Chris’s hips and down his thighs, slowly massaging over the firm muscles in his legs. Chris naturally let his legs spread, moaning at the way his hands caressed over his skin, one of them making their way to cup and gently squeeze his balls while his lips dragged down his cock, kissing and licking along the way. His tongue laved over his balls, making him whimper and whine as Darren sucked and kissed the sensitive flesh. Darren’s hand replaced his mouth, stroking his cock firmly, pulling him closer to the edge. 

And that edge definitely wasn’t too far away. Chris felt the heat rising, starting low and moving up through his stomach. He felt tingly, from the inside out, starting in his toes and rising up into his legs, through his torso. He almost whined when he felt Darren’s mouth move from his balls, but the sound quickly shifted to a moan as Darren’s hand stroked faster, tongue quickly swirling around the head.

It didn’t take but moments afterwards for him to be pushed over that edge, gasping out a moan. He grabbed at Darren’s curls, needing something to twist his fingers through as he came. His breathing was deep as the waves of pleasure washed over him, leaving him sated and sweating against the leather seat. 

When he managed to lift his head, he was met with the shockingly beautiful sight of Darren’s face, painted with both the bold colors of face paint and cum. Darren grinned at him, definitely looking like the cat who ate the canary, as he leaned down to press a searing kiss to Chris’s lips.

Chris moaned against his mouth, their tongues sliding together as Chris wound his arms around Darren’s neck to keep him close. They pulled away from each other after a few moments, both boys panting. 

“I’d like to return the favor,” Chris murmured as he propped up slightly, leaning in to kiss at Darren’s jaw, sucking gently as he reached his neck.

He heard Darren sigh, felt the groan in his throat as Chris started stroking his hard, leaking cock. 

“Not gonna last very long,” Darren mumbled, head falling back as a deep moan rose from his throat. It made Chris’s spent cock twitch just to know that Darren was already so close, and he had hardly touched him. Did getting Chris off really turn him on that much?

Sure as he said, Darren didn’t last long. Chris had spent all of several minutes adding his own spit to the wetness of Darren’s precum to help his hand glide quicker, letting his grip tighten as the absolutely desperate sounds dripped from Darren’s mouth. 

He was a mess, and a damn hot one too. While Chris had moaned and whined, he was otherwise quiet, mumbling out a few curses as Darren had worked him over with his mouth. But Darren was vocal, very vocal. Barely a moment passed between moans and whimpers, but in those moments, Chris’s ears were filled with the sounds of his own name, ‘please’s and ‘more’s, mixed in with profanities and whines that made him shudder.

And after those several minutes were over, Darren was coming suddenly with a cry of Chris’s name, warm, white liquid spilling over his hand. He stroked him through his orgasm before he slowly pulled his hand away, only to have it caught within Darren’s hands. He watched with raised eyebrows and widened eyes as the curly-haired boy smirked before his tongue went to work at cleaning off Chris’s hand.

Chris hadn’t expected that.

But then again, Chris hadn’t expected any of this.

And yeah, it sorta-kinda-definitely made his heart throb and his body warm with a new wave of want at watching Darren lick his own cum off of Chris’s hand.

Darren chuckled at the look Chris was giving him, releasing his hand as he licked over his lips. 

Chris suddenly felt another wave of warmth hit him- this time, embarrassment. A little shame. He could feel himself reddening, and he knew Darren took note when his smirk turned down.

“What’s wrong?” he questioned.

“Nothing,” Chris said, shaking his head.

Darren shook his head too. “Something’s wrong. I...I’m sorry if that was uh, too weird or anything.”

“No no...it’s not that, it’s just…” Chris trailed off with a sigh. “I just don’t uh...normally do this. I mean…”

“You mean you normally don’t let guys blow you in the back of a car and then return the favor via handjob?” he questioned, laughing a little. “I never said you did. And even if you did, so what?”

Chris definitely wasn’t a prude, but he really wasn’t a slut...and this sort of made him feel like one, just running off with some random, totally hot boy to make out and do sexual things with. It wasn’t really typical of him.

“Well, I mean...I don’t. But if I did….” He trailed away, Darren cutting him off. 

“But if you did…? That wouldn’t change anything. It’s just two people that are attracted to each other having a good time. That’s all,” Darren shrugged nonchalantly. “It doesn’t make you a slut by any means, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“But…” Chris started to argue.

“Babe,” Darren interjected, making Chris shiver pleasantly at the casual drop of the pet name. “You’re not a slut. You’re hot as hell and luckily you thought the same of me...well, at least I hope that’s what you were thinking,” he ended with a laugh.

Chris ended up laughing too before sighing, leaning in for another kiss, making Darren hum against his mouth.

“So, how about we get back to what we’re here for?” Darren suggested as they pulled away from each other.

“I thought our change in focus for the weekend was a nice one,” Chris chimed with a somewhat-shy grin, which made Darren laugh.

“God, you’re absolutely adorable you know,” He said, reaching for his clothes to begin getting dressed again. 

Chris smiled a little at the compliment, biting back the huge grin that felt like it would burst from his skin at any moment. He was a looker, a charmer, good in bed (from the brief encounter, anyways)...he was already working on ticking several boxes in Chris’s (mental) ‘Non-Negotiables’ list.

Once the boys were dressed they climbed back out of the car to be met with the steadily-cooling California air. The sky was slowly beginning to change colors as the sun made its way to the horizon. Instruments and vocals still called out from every corner of the venue. The music and the world had gone right on without them in it for that brief time.

The two walked together in search of food, ending up with mouthfuls of tacos as they sat on the grass, listening to the acoustic melody that played from the stage.

“You came to take us  
All things go, all things go  
To recreate us  
All things grow, all things grow

We had our mindset  
All things know, all things know  
You had to find it  
All things go, all things go….”

 

Chris’s new friend group ended up finding them, joining them on the grass to eat, bringing their own mix of tacos, chicken, and fries. 

“So...you just seemed to disappear into thin air after a little bit. One minute we saw you two dancing, and the next minute you were gone…” Rebecca murmured as she leaned into Chris.

Chris felt his face redden, and he took note of the sly grin on Rebecca’s face.

“So where exactly did you two run off to?” She questioned with raised eyebrows.

“Well, let’s just say that...you were right about someone looking like the cat who ate the canary…”He whispered, glancing towards Darren. Darren happened to be looking his way, and he smirked as Chris caught his eye. 

“But it wasn’t me,” Chris finished with his own small smirk, earning a near-squeal from Rebecca.

“You have got to tell me everything!”

“Later, later,” he said with a laugh, patting her arm. He noticed Darren was still looking their way, that shit-eating grin on his face, which meant he probably knew exactly what they had been discussing. 

Chris let his mind (and his and Rebecca’s conversation) wander away from Darren to focus on the group as a whole. 

They talked about what they were doing in college, which Chris had learned earlier that Darren was pursuing theater, and they also discussed what they wanted to accomplish afterwards. Darren shared that he wanted to be on Broadway someday, while Chris shared he’d love to be on Broadway too- but that he was pursuing writing, at least at the moment.

He also learned that Darren was really into music. That was obvious, he supposed, since they were all attending a music festival...but Darren shared he was into playing instruments, singing, and even writing music. 

Besides music and theater, Darren was also into books. He was a self-professed nerd, as Chris was. Actually, Chris was into all the same things as Darren it seemed...well, besides sports. Darren and a few of the others chatted about their favorite sports and teams. Chris learned that Darren was a die-hard University of Michigan fan, and that was where he was currently attending college. He also learned that Darren supported the San Francisco 49ers, as that was where he used to live. The group conversation turned into more of a Darren and Chris conversation at that point, as Chris shared that he was now living in San Francisco and went to college there.

As the sun set, the two settled in next to each other, talking about Darren’s home. He shared the best places for food, nearly-hidden shops, and talked about his family that still lived there. As night fell, the group stayed, talking amongst themselves and occasionally conversing as a whole group. 

Antonio left for a little bit and returned with a few blankets, which they spread out on the grass. Most of the live music was dying down, replaced by the sounds of pre-recorded music through various speakers of other groups and individuals passing by. 

Chris watched as girls ran barefoot across the grass, running to catch up with a group that had left them, the sounds of high laughter in the near distance as one of the girls took down a guy from the group that had left them. They all eventually ended up in the grass, rolling and laughing. 

It made Chris smile to watch them. He wondered...did they all know each other before coming? Or had they formed their own little group, as Chris and his new friends had?

“You’re so beautiful,” Darren said softly, making Chris turn his head and raise his eyebrows at him.

He noticed that Darren was...blushing? 

“Sorry...I just...you are really beautiful,” he repeated with a somewhat shy smile.

Chris felt his own self blush, but he smiled and leaned in to press a kiss to Darren’s cheek. “So are you,” he whispered, his arm coming to wrap around Darren’s waist as he leaned against him.

They stayed like that for a while, talking quietly, listening to the music that one of the girls played from their phone. They eventually ended up laying down on the blanket, looking up at the dark sky that was dotted with hundreds, thousands of stars. 

“You know, I’ve never really thought of myself as much of an outdoorsy person, but...I could be when it comes to things like this,” Chris murmured, his fingers twirling absentmindedly through Darren’s curls. 

He heard Darren hum slightly at the touch, tilting his head up to say, “You’re crazy. The outdoors are always amazing.”

“Let’s see, there’s the heat, the bugs, sunburn...then in the winter you have to deal with the cold, ice being all over everything some days…” Chris listed.

“But you also have hiking and seeing new sights, cooling off at the beach, sitting under a shady tree with a book, seeing thousands of flowers during the day and millions of stars at night…” Darren sighed softly.

Chris turned his head to look at him as he spoke, smiling as he listened to him list off the things he enjoyed about the outdoors. He could see it in his smile, hear in his voice how much he loved those little things that Chris maybe didn’t think about as much. As he spoke, Chris learned another thing that he liked about Darren...his passion. Whether he was talking about theater, music, books, or the outdoors, he was so passionate. The things he spoke of, the things he did...they were all done with drive and want. He figured he was one of those people that put their all into what they did and wouldn’t stand for having a job or life that didn’t make them feel fulfilled and happy. And Chris happened to find that having passion for life was one of the most redeeming qualities a person could have.

Being extremely attractive, having the same interests, and being passionate? Chris needed to get some rings and a marriage license, quick. Yeah right.

Eventually, a few guys came by, picking up trash and asking the group to clear out so they wouldn’t end up covered in dew by the morning. Chris figured that was their nice way of asking them to get out before they got in trouble.

The group retired to their various tents, scattered throughout the camping site. Chris could hear music playing from some of the tents, snoring, and various...other noises. 

Chris was prepared to part ways when Darren said, “I don’t want to be presumptuous or anything but...want to come back to my tent?”

Chris didn’t care whether it was presumptuous- he gladly agreed, following Darren to his tent. 

He crawled inside after Darren, getting settled in next to him on top of the air mattress and under the unzipped sleeping bag. The air had cooled over the course of the evening, making it chilly in the California night. Luckily, Chris now had someone to help keep him warm.

Chris shifted closer to Darren, settling in close to him, an arm wrapped around his waist. Darren was snuggled up against his chest, pressing soft kisses to his jaw, making Chris sigh softly at the feeling of his lips against his skin. He tilted his head down, meeting Darren’s lips for a kiss.

The two lay under the thick sleeping bag, kissing lazily, fingers tracing gentle patterns over each other’s skin. Chris shivered as Darren’s warm fingers brushed over his side and down his hip, a ticklish yet sensitive touch.

It didn’t go any further than kissing and touching, slowly exploring each other’s bodies with gentle brushes of fingertips and soft presses of lips.   
\----  
Saturday

Chris didn’t even recall falling asleep when he was woken up by the hot rays of sunshine that filtered into the tent. The smell of nearby food vendors starting up for the day permeated the air. The sounds of music and crowds of people passing by to make their way to the heart of the festival were already loud and clear. 

It was strange to wake up in someone else’s arms, Chris thought. Definitely not unwanted, but strange. Different. Really nice. Something he could get used to.

He felt Darren shift as he started waking up as well, his arms stretching out as his body twisted, making various bones in his body pop. He let out a satisfied groan at the feeling before he rolled back towards Chris.

Chris was met with a sleepy, golden gaze, a mass of unruly curls, and a breathtaking smile.

“Morning,” Darren murmured, voice ragged from a night of sleep and being unused during that time. 

“Good morning,” Chris replied softly, yawning and stretching slightly before he shifted back close to Darren again. 

They had both managed to kick off the sleeping bag during the night- which, thank God for that, Chris thought, because the tent was beginning to feel pretty toasty. That didn’t mean he still didn’t want to be close to Darren though.

“I’m starving,” Darren complained as he sat up, fingers running through his hair, trying to somewhat tame it. 

Chris chuckled quietly and smiled, sitting up as well, fingers running through his own messy hair. “Yeah, me too,” he agreed. “How about we go find some breakfast and maybe find where Rebecca and all of them are?” he suggested.

After Darren changed (Chris tried his hardest to seem uninterested, but he saw Darren eyeing him with a smirk and waggling eyebrows) they headed back to his tent so Chris could change as well. He made Darren stay outside so he didn’t have to see that stupidly adorable smirk again. 

Once Chris was dressed, the two of them followed the smell of food to a kiosk that was selling chicken and waffles. They sat and ate their breakfast while pondering where and when the combination became popular, which became a conversation over college and high school food. That conversation led to Darren telling Chris how he once threw up from eating so much pizza while on a field trip, which in turn led to Chris telling Darren about the multiple times he snorted milk out of his nose at school.

Their conversation changed from school and food stories to various other topics- siblings, pets they had growing up, embarrassing stories. Eventually, they left their soft spot of grass to go in search of artists they wanted to listen to. The two wandered among the various stages, dancing for a while while they listened to the artist playing at one, before they moved on to the next. 

On the way from one stage to another, Chris felt Darren suddenly take his hand. His eyebrows rose and he smiled, letting his fingers lace together with Darren’s. Eventually, they had to take a break, choosing a shady spot to sip at their drinks and share kisses.

Chris chose not to think about what all of this meant. The hand-holding, the kissing, sharing a tent, their escapades in the back of Darren’s car...It was just a weekend fling, something Chris hadn’t really experienced, but something he was definitely enjoying. Too bad it was with someone he could actually see himself being with.

“God, I could kiss you all day,” he felt Darren murmur against his lips, making Chris laugh softly and wrap his arm tighter around him to pull him closer. Darren laughed as well, continuing to kiss him with a happy hum. 

Eventually, the two forced themselves to separate and join the festivities again. They found Antonio and Laura along the way, then eventually Rebecca and the rest of their group. Beth grinned and winked at Chris, eyes following to where his and Darren’s hands were joined together. He couldn’t help grinning back.

The group danced together, staying close so they could talk in-between singing and laughing. Beth and Elle left and returned with drinks for the group, which they sipped at carefully while they danced, cups held up to try and avoid spills. 

Darren took his and Chris’s cups when they were finished, tossing them in the garbage before he returned, arms sliding around Chris’s middle. Chris smiled down at him, arms resting over his shoulders as their bodies moved to the music and their lips met for a deep kiss. 

“I feel we're close enough  
I wanna lock in your love  
I think we're close enough  
Could I lock in your love, baby?

Now I got you in my space  
I won't let go of you  
Got you shackled in my embrace  
I'm latching on to you…”

Chris could stay in this moment forever. All he could feel and sense was Darren. The music was nothing more than background noise, his focus on the feeling of Darren’s painted nails running up under his shirt, his lips moving down his neck to suck gently at the sensitive skin. 

Chris was thankful for the music, even if he wasn’t paying much attention to it, because it helped hide the moan that suddenly slipped out. Darren seemed to know exactly where to nip at his skin, exactly where to dig his nails into Chris’s hips to make his body rock forward into his. 

“I'm so encaptured, got me wrapped up in your touch  
Feel so enamored, hold me tight within your clutch  
How do you do it, you got me losing every breath  
What did you give me to make my heart beat out my chest?

I feel we're close enough  
I wanna lock in your love  
I think we're close enough  
Could I lock in your love, baby?”

Their lips found each other’s again, making them both groan at the intensity of their sudden kiss. 

“Would you two get a room?” Steven called over the music, making their group laugh. 

“Or a car, right?” Laura asked with a grin, making them all laugh again. Chris felt himself blush, but he couldn’t help laughing as well, burying his face into Darren’s neck.

“Mmm...so someone doesn’t keep things to himself, huh?” Darren murmured against his ear with a soft chuckle, the feeling of his breath making him shiver. 

“I just couldn’t help myself, I guess...it was hard to keep something that good all to myself…” Chris responded with a quiet laugh, pressing a kiss to his temple.

“Well I certainly can’t argue with that,” Darren said, laughing, placing a kiss against Chris’s jaw.

They shared huge turkey legs for lunch and made sure to drink plenty of water to keep themselves hydrated before they returned to dancing in front of one of the stages. Once they were worn out from dancing so much, the group rested in the grass, laughing and joking with each other as a few of them picked stray flowers to weave into flower crowns. Soon, Darren and Chris found themselves wearing matching flower crowns. Elle and Rebecca spent their time weaving the flowers through Darren’s curls while Chris wove flowers into Laura’s braid. 

“We look like a bunch of damn hippies from the ‘60s,” Steven said with a laugh. “All we need now are peace signs and we’re set.”

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with being a peaceful, tree-hugging hippie,” Beth said, situating the flower crown she had made onto Steven’s head. “Better a hippie than a hipster. At least hippies were true to their cause.”

“You have to be honest though. This is a hipster as hell festival,” Antonio pointed out. “It’s like...a blend of hippie and hipster.” 

“There’s nothing wrong with being a hipster...unless you’re the hipster that shouts about how you heard about all these artists before anyone else,” Elle noted. “I mean...yeah, I’m really into some of these “obscure” bands but I’m not going to rub it in everyone’s face.”

The group continued their occasionally-heated conversation, moving on to other topics. Eventually, they made it to a topic that Chris was a little nervous but also curious about- sexuality. 

He learned that there was a mix among them- Beth was a lesbian, Elle, Antonio, and Laura were bi, Rebecca and Steven were straight, Chris was gay, and Darren was pansexual.

“Being pan is the most hipster sexuality,” Laura joked with a laugh, making the others, including Darren, laugh as well.

Honestly, Chris hadn’t really heard of being pansexual. 

“Explain that,” Antonio said. “I mean...can you? I mean, I know what it is but… “

Chris was so glad someone else said something first.

“Yeah yeah, of course,” Darren said with a nod. “Well, the way I explain it is...I have the...capability, I guess, to be attracted to anyone, regardless of gender or identity. So I’m attracted to cis women and men, non-binary, genderqueer...anyone.”

“How do you come to a conclusion like that?” Chris asked, surprising himself at having blurted it out. 

Darren smiled at him, shrugging slightly. “For me, it was just the obvious answer. I like people, and that’s all there is to it. It doesn’t matter whether they’re boy, girl, neither, or both…”

Chris honestly hadn’t thought much about his own sexuality. He liked guys- that was that, no ifs, ands, or buts. Having the possibility of being attracted to so many people...that seemed overwhelming.

“So what kind of person do you like then? I mean, everyone has a type,” Antonio questioned.

“Yeah, like...do you prefer any gender over another?” Elle asked.

“I’m sorry...this feels like...personal information,” Chris murmured. “You don’t have to share if you don’t want to.” Chris wasn’t really sure what made him say that but...he felt like Darren was sharing a lot of information you normally wouldn’t with practical strangers.

“Oh, yeah definitely,” Elle added. “You don’t have to just blurt out your life story.”

Darren laughed, shaking his head. “No no, guys, you’re fine. I honestly don’t mind sharing,” he started with a smile. “Honestly, if I had to say I have a preference...it would be for people who identify as male. But in general...tall, beautiful eyes, amazing personality...honestly, it’s all about personality and yeah, everyone all says that shit but...if you’re an asshole, I really don’t want to be with you.”

The group laughed and started talking about past relationships- ones that were great for a while or ones that started off all wrong. They talked about people with weird habits (“When I saw him pissing in my sink, that’s when I decided it wasn’t going to work.”- Rebecca), complete assholes (“Not only was he sleeping with someone else, but it happened in my own bed! That’s the last time I’ve given anyone a key to my place”- Antonio), and people who decided on the wrong ultimatum (“So we’re about three months into the relationship and she just all of a sudden says, “It’s me or the cat.” So I asked her to leave and let me and my cat of almost ten years continue on with our lives.” -Beth). 

Eventually it was time for them to have dinner, another meal from one of the kiosks.

“I can practically feel all the oil from this food coating my insides,” Elle said, snarling up her nose.

“You could have gotten the salad,” Steven pointed out.

“And spent all my money to still be hungry? No thank you. I’ll take the oil,” she said with a laugh.

Darren and Chris shared fries with their burgers, earning little remarks from the others (“We know where sharing food leads to...oh wait! You guys skipped right over the first few and went straight to third base.” -Rebecca). Chris ended up throwing his handful of fries at her, which just made everyone laugh, including Chris.

It wasn’t long before the sun was sinking down below the horizon, casting orange, yellow, and pink out across the blue skies. The colors slowly faded until a purply-pink color was spread across the blue, and finally, the dark sky full of bright, twinkling stars.

The group retired to their tents earlier than the previous night, deciding to save the clean-up crew from telling them to get lost again. Darren fell in next to Chris and took his hand. The two walked in comfortable silence, neither of them saying anything as they passed Chris’s tent and went on to Darren’s.

The two got comfortable in Darren’s tent, cuddling up to one another under the sleeping bag. They shifted and moved limbs to get in a position that was comfortable for kissing, their already sweaty bodies sticking together where their skin was exposed. Chris’s shirt soon came off, as did his shorts and Darren’s shorts. They were left in their underwear, both boys moaning as their shifting caused their half-hard dicks to brush each other. Soon, hands were wandering over skin, squeezing at biceps, tracing over hips, and reaching into underwear. Their underwear soon came off, leaving them writhing under the covers and moaning, not really worried about who could hear them. 

Darren’s lips trailed down Chris’s body, sucking marks into his skin along the way. He focused on his hips, rubbing over the bones and sucking marks into them. His mouth soon wrapped around Chris’s cock, making him groan in pleasure. Darren’s hands squeezed at his thighs while Chris’s fingers ran through his hair, pulling at the messy curls as Darren’s tongue swirled around the head of his cock. 

After a few minutes, Darren pulled off with a soft ‘pop’, making Chris whine. 

“Have you ever had sex?” Darren asked suddenly. Chris’s eyebrows shot up at the question.

Darren backtracked. “I...really want to have sex with you, to be honest,” he said. “But...not if you don’t want to. So I don’t really know why I asked if you had sex before. I didn’t ask before everything else and…”

Chris placed a finger against Darren’s lips, chuckling softly. “Shhh...yes, I’ve had sex before. One other person, a handful of times. So I’ve...never really had sex with someone I wasn’t in a relationship with but...you know...we sort of crossed the line…”

Darren nodded a little, raising his eyebrows. “So...yeah?” 

Chris knew it was something different. Yeah, he’d fooled around a little with a few guys, but only one guy had he gone all the way with. But...why the hell not?

“I have condoms, and lube, before you ask,” Darren said, already pulling them out of his bag.

Chris raised his eyebrows. “You always travel with lube and condoms?” he questioned.

“Hey, I was a boy scout. We were always taught to come prepared,” he said with a sly grin, making Chris laugh and roll his eyes.

“So...how do you want to do this?” Darren asked as he looked down at Chris, popping the cap to the lube open.

Chris thought for a moment. He’d topped and bottomed and...well, he liked both. So he shrugged in response and said, “I don’t care one way or another.”

Darren grinned, pouring lube onto his fingers as he said, “Then just stay right there, beautiful.”

Chris couldn’t help grinning at the response. Over the past two days, he’d heard himself called handsome, beautiful, adorable, cute, and gorgeous by Darren. 

Darren settled himself between Chris’s legs, tracing a lube-coated finger down to his hole. His fingers worked Chris open, making him moan and writhe under his touch. Darren sucked hickies into Chris’s thighs then kissed over the new marks before looking up at Chris. “You ready?” Darren asked, having stretched him with three fingers.

Chris moaned in response and nodded, licking over his lips as he propped up slightly to watch him.. “Y-Yeah…” He stuttered out softly.

“You’re not nervous or anything are you?” Darren asked, face suddenly filled with concern, honey-colored eyes wide. “Because we don’t have to do this at all. We can stop and I’m not going to be a dick and pressure you and…”

“Darren…” Chris started with a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. “No...no, I’m not nervous it’s...well, maybe I am. I just haven’t done this much and I definitely haven’t outside of relationships and...I don’t really know what to think about...the situation and...myself.”

Darren raised his eyebrows and cocked his head slightly, quiet as he was lost in his thoughts for a moment. “Well...do you want to do this?”

“Yes,” Chris responded.

“Then that’s all that matters. Don’t worry about the boxes society wants to put you in when it comes to sex because...hey, in all honesty, you’re already outside of the box since two dicks are involved,” Darren said with a laugh. “But really...if you want it, that’s all that matters. Your body is your body to do with what you want.”

Chris chewed on his lip, quiet a few moments before he breathed out, nodding. “Yeah. I want it.”

Darren smiled and leaned down to kiss him, keeping it gentle and sweet a few moments before it became deeper, making them both moan into each other’s mouths.

Darren unwrapped the condom and rolled it onto his erection, stroking himself with a bit of lube, making himself groan softly. He leaned in to kiss Chris again as he lined his cock up with his entrance, slowly pushing inside. 

Chris’s breath seemed to be taken away during those first moments of penetration. He gasped softly, breaking the kiss.

“You okay?” Darren asked, forcing his hips to stay still as he gave him time to adjust.

Chris nodded, smiling up at him. “I’m fine...keep going…” he said softly.

Darren pressed a kiss to his forehead, allowing his hips to push forward again, keeping his movement slow until he bottomed out. 

The two took the minute of pause, their breathing the only sound they seemed to hear, ignoring the outside world. 

After a few moments Darren started to move, thrusting slow and shallow. Gradually, his thrusts became a little harder, a little deeper, a little quicker. 

Chris moaned at each thrust, having forgotten how great it honestly felt to have someone inside him, especially when that someone kept hitting the right spot. 

As he had been before, Darren was vocal. He showered Chris with compliments- ‘You’re so beautiful’ and ‘Fuck, you’re gorgeous’- and mixed in plenty of curse words.

His fingers clutched at sleeping bag as Darren shifted him, pulling his legs up around his waist. At the sudden change in angle, Chris groaned, head tipping back. With this new angle, Darren was hitting his prostate with almost every thrust, making his moans become more frequent, more high-pitched.

“Fuck Darren...I’m so close,” Chris whined.

At that, Darren’s thrusts became harder and quicker, a little more erratic and off-beat, as he was close as well.

With just a few more thrusts, Chris’s eyes rolled back and he came with a cry of Darren’s name.

Darren was sent quickly over the edge as well, just by watching the beautiful boy orgasm and hearing him cry out his name. He soon slumped down against Chris, making the latter huff out a soft sound at the weight that was suddenly dropped on him. 

“Sorry...I’ll move,” Darren mumbled against his shoulder.

Chris moved his arms up to wrap around Darren. “No...just stay a minute,” he murmured, his breathing starting to even out as he came down from the high of his orgasm. 

When both of their breathing had returned to normal, Darren pulled out slowly, both of them making a quiet noise at the feeling. 

“Well...we’re officially gross,” Chris noted as he sat up. Not only were they covered in sweat, from the day and sex, but Chris’s stomach was covered in his own cum. 

“They have showers in their bathroom building,” Darren said. He pulled off the condom and ended up throwing it in a plastic bag he had shoved into his overnight bag. When Chris wrinkled his nose at him, he laughed and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll throw it away.”

They got dressed (which made Chris feel even more disgusting, honestly) and headed to Chris’s tent to grab towels and shower supplies (thank God for Chris’s mom reminding him to pack things he didn’t even think about). A familiar sound echoed off the walls from one side of the bathrooms, making the boys raise their eyebrows and share a small smirk. They walked to the other side and undressed as Chris turned on one of the showers.

Chris sighed as he stepped under the spray, letting himself just stand a moment under the warm water. He opened his eyes as he felt Darren’s body bump into his.

Darren smiled at him, almost shyly. “Is this okay?” he asked.

“Yeah...yeah, it’s fine,” he said softly, reaching for the shampoo he had brought.

“Let me, “ Darren said softly, taking the bottle from him. 

Chris let him, sighing quietly at the feeling of his fingers massaging the shampoo against his scalp. Darren guided him back into the water to rinse out the shampoo, then took his time in helping Chris wash his body. 

Chris returned the favor, letting his shampoo-covered fingers work their way through Darren’s wet curls before his hands explored his body whilst getting him clean. It was intimate feeling, washing each other, standing so close and sharing only smiles and gentle touches. It made Chris’s heart beat a little quicker at the thought of their intimacy, now and before.

He didn’t know how long they were in the shower, but he knew it was long enough to end up leaving only after the shower grew cold. 

Once dressed, Darren and Chris returned to their shared tent. They got comfortable, with Chris spooning Darren, holding the shorter man close as he drifted off to sleep.  
\----  
Sunday

The last day of Coachella had arrived. It was similar to all the other days- music, dancing, being with new friends. But, Chris felt, it was also different. Although he didn’t think much about it, a little voice in his head (Or was it his heart?) kept reminding him that today was the last day and, bright and early next morning he would be heading home. That little voice made him just want to make the most of his last day.

After breakfast, Darren pulled off his shirt, letting the girls at the body paint kiosk splatter pink and yellow paint across his chest and brush paint across his cheeks. Darren looked back at Chris, raising his eyebrows and smiling at him. “Come get painted?” He questioned

Chris was reminded, once again, that it was his last day. This was the last time he had the opportunity to get painted up at Coachella. Not that that was a life goal or anything of his, but...at least it was another things he could share with Darren. So...why not?

Chris slowly peeled off his own shirt, feeling a little self-conscious at being shirtless in front of who knows how many people. But Darren was at his side in no time, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Come on gorgeous, come get your paint.” 

So Chris told himself that this wasn’t the first time he was shirtless in front of someone, and not shirtless in front of Darren either. So he decided...fuck it.

Soon, he was painted up in blues and greens, watching Darren grin at him. 

“Let’s make the most of it,” Darren said, grabbing Chris’s hand.

“Let’s,” Chris agreed.

\-----  
The final day of Coachella was probably the most exciting. There were slip n’ slides, water balloons, dance contents, free treats and prizes, and, at night, there was a big fireworks show to end the festival.

Darren and Chris spent the day doing as they said- making the most of it. They slid across the slip n’ slides, attacked each other with water balloons, equally laughed their asses off and were impressed watching the dance contests, and gobbled up free treats before they ran out. At the end of the day, with the sun sinking down, they found a comfortable spot on the grass.

They laid back and talked, watching the stars make their first appearances in the dark sky. An announcement was made, alerting them to the fireworks show starting in a few minutes. 

The fireworks show was kicked off by the sudden, shrill scream of a firework going up into the air, bursting into a bright display of blue and white with a loud boom. Cheers rang out as the sky was filled with all the colors of the rainbow, shrieks, pops, and booms filling the night air. Smoke was beginning to build up from the multiple fireworks, floating across the sky.

“I’m really glad I came this year,” Darren said softly. 

Chris turned his head towards him, raising his eyebrows.

“If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have met you,” Darren said, a genuine smile reaching to his eyes.

Chris felt his face warm and his heart pump a little harder. “I’m glad I came too. I’m glad to have met you,” he murmured, swallowing down the lump that was suddenly forming in his throat. It was the last night. What did that mean for them?

They didn’t address what would happen from this point on. They kept the conversation light and their kisses gentle, staying laid out on the grass long after the fireworks had gone, the sky mostly clear of their smoke.

They were asked to return to their tents soon after. The boys got up, dusting themselves off to rid their clothes of any clinging grass, and made their way to the tent. They didn’t say much as they snuggled up with each other, both of them drifting off to sleep.  
\----  
Monday

Chris recognized that he was awake, but he also recognized the fact that he didn’t want to move. He didn’t want this weekend to be over already, but he knew it already was. No matter how long he stayed this morning didn’t change the fact that he would have to leave at some point. 

Still, he wanted this moment to last as long as it could. So instead of moving away he wrapped his arm around Darren’s waist, thinking over the events that had unfolded during the weekend.

After a short time, Chris felt Darren start to stir awake. His arms stretched out and he rolled onto his back, yawning. His eyes blinked open slowly and his head turned so he was looking at Chris. Darren smiled sleepily, a peaceful and at ease expression that made Chris’s stomach flutter with butterflies.

“Good morning,” Chris whispered, letting his fingers brush through Darren’s hair and over his cheek. 

“Morning,” Darren replied softly, his own hand reaching up to gently cup Chris’s cheek, pulling him in for a kiss. Chris shifted, resting his hand against Darren’s chest as he kissed him slowly.

They pulled apart, fingers brushing over cheeks and through hair as they lay there. They listened to the sounds of people packing up their belongings and leaving the grounds in their noisy cars.

“We should probably get up,” Darren murmured gently. 

Chris nodded. He knew he was right. It wouldn’t get any easier, so it may as well be now.

They agreed to meet at Chris’s car before leaving. After dressing, Chris walked to his tent and started to pack his things up. He was putting his belongings in the trunk of his car when he saw Darren walking towards him. 

For the first time, the two shared an awkward silence. Neither of them said anything, until finally Chris breathed out a sigh.

“Well...everything’s packed,” he started.

Darren nodded. “Yeah. I’m all packed too.”

Another pause.

“Let’s just get it over with, huh?” Darren murmured gently.

It was weird, Chris thought. To grow attached to someone in just a few days. But, as he had thought before, Darren was honestly perfect. He wasn’t thinking he wanted to spend his whole life with him or anything but...at least getting to know him more? That would be great. But right now, Darren lived in Michigan while Chris still lived in California and...to be honest, Chris knew long distance usually didn’t work.

Their hug lasted what felt like a long stretch of time. Chris’s arms wrapped around Darren’s middle, while Darren’s arms rested over his shoulders. Chris’s hand tucked down into Darren’s back pocket, making Darren chuckle softly where his head rested against Chris’s shoulder.

“Don’t get anything started you can’t finish,” Darren teased, earning a quiet laugh from Chris before he kissed him, keeping the kiss gentle and slow. After a few moments, they pulled away from each other and Darren stepped back, almost seeming to force himself to go.

“Have a safe trip,” Darren said, biting his lip as he briefly paused before saying, “It was great to spend the weekend with you.”

“You too,” Chris called as Darren started to walk away. Darren turned his head back to wave at Chris, giving him a final beaming smile before he made himself get in his car to go home.

Late Monday

Chris had arrived home, safe and sound. But his mind was not sound in the least.

He had been so, so stupid in their parting. It was childish and crazy to think that slipping a note with his phone number into the back pocket of some weekend fling would amount to anything. He could have just asked for his number, like an adult. But he felt it was pointless with the distance, and he really didn’t want to end the weekend with outright rejection.

He sighed, opening up one of his textbooks to get ready for class the following day. He had to force himself to push aside thoughts of boys and replace them with thoughts of books.

Two weeks later

Chris had tried his hardest to not think about Darren, but he couldn’t help himself. The more time that passed though, the more the Coachella weekend had seemed all a dream. At least, if he thought of it that way, nothing would be truly lost...right?

He lay on his bed, flipping through a textbook, music playing in the background. 

“Stripped to the waist  
We fall into the river  
Cover your eyes  
So you don't know the secret…”

He recognized the song and smiled, remembering listening to the same song live just a few weeks ago.

“I've been trying to hide  
We held our breath  
To see our names are written  
On the wreck of '86  
That was the year  
I knew the panic was over…”

The song had been performed not long before the final night ended in fireworks.

“Yes since we found out  
Since we found out  
That anything could happen  
Anything could happen  
Anything could happen...:”

Chris sighed when his phone started ringing. He felt like he never got any studying done with his phone ringing or beeping or making some sort of the noise. The music he could handle- obnoxious noises and interruptions, he could not.

He slid his finger across the screen to answer the call, putting the phone between his shoulder and ear and answering, “Hello?” as he flipped through his textbook.

For a few moments, there was nothing. No sound, no voice from the other end. He was just about to hang up when the familiar voice from the phone made his heart skip a beat.

“Hello, gorgeous.”

**Author's Note:**

> Did you figure out all the artists' featured lyrics? They were (in order): Gallant, Years and Years, Moon Taxi, The 1975, Rae Sremmurd, Zedd, Sufjan Stevens, Disclosure, and Elle Goulding.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed. Thanks so much for reading!


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